The Carmelite Charism: A Desire for God in the World

For over 800 years, the Carmelites throughout the world have strived to share their charism with people from various cultures and backgrounds— all seeking guidance as they journey to perfect union with the Beloved. Faith and reason play a crucial role in seeking God; likewise, spirituality and religion illuminate the way to perfect union with our Beloved. For the Carmelites, our spirituality is founded on three pillars: Prayer, Community and Service.

Prayer is how the Carmelites relate to God, both as individuals and as a community. Through prayer we become open to God who gradually transforms us through the events of our lives. This process of transformation allows us to sustain authentic relationships; it makes us willing and eager to serve, as well as capable of compassion and solidarity. Prayer is practiced throughout the day at Salpointe, grounding and inspiring our students.

Our Carmelite charism cannot be lived completely without the people of God. We call this pillar community. As Carmelites, we gather to pray and celebrate the Eucharist during all-school Masses. We also share this community aspect at Salpointe through Kairos retreats and Days of Recollection.

As Carmelites, we also understand that not all people have the same opportunities to excel in life. This leads me to the third and final pillar— service. Our faith in God is not only to seek the Beloved by ourselves, but also through the less fortunate in our community. During their four years at Salpointe, our students are required to complete forty hours of service. Some students volunteer to help during our monthly school Masses as sacristans or Extraordinary Ministers of the Holy Communion. Students also volunteer at a wide variety of local non-profits such as Kino Border Initiative, Habitat for Humanity, Ronald McDonald House and more.

In summary, Salpointe is a place where we strive to live out our faith in God, by the community we form and by the service we provide to each other. It is through these three pillars, faith, community and service, that we guide our lives to seek the Beloved, God the Creator, God the Son and Savior. r, and God the Holy Spirit.

Father Edgar E. López, O.Carm., originally from Guatemala, raised in North Hollywood, CA, joined the Carmelite Order in 2003, Ordained a Carmelite on May 11, 2013. He has a Masters Degree in Divinity and Marriage and Family Therapy from Fuller Theological Union in Pasadena, CA. He has been part-time school chaplain and teacher at Salpointe since 2022. He is also a part-time family therapist at Catholic Community Services in Tucson. He resides at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Monastery and Priory in Tucson, AZ.